Senior officials from the Indian Army held a closed-door meeting with Deputy Commissioner Ekroop Caur on the issue of an engineering college that has been constructed within the weapons firing range of the Army.
The Angadi Institute of Technology and Management (AITM) on Savagaon Road here has been set up by the educational foundation run by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suresh C. Angadi, MP.
Ms. Caur said a team of Army officials, headed by Maj. Gen. B.S. Sachar, Additional Director-General, Military Training (A), Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, held discussions on the issue of the college being in the “danger zone”.
‘Baffle range'
The district administration requested the Army officials to set up a “baffle range”, a closed-off area, as an alternative.
Interestingly, this suggestion is in line with Mr. Angadi's proposed solution, for which he has reportedly been lobbying at the national capital.
Objections ignored
It may be recalled here that the office of the Deputy Commissioner granted conditional permission to construct AITM, but did not withdraw it even after Army officials here objected to it.
However, it is surprising that the Army remained a mute spectator while the huge college complex was being constructed. The college has been functioning for the past two years.
Ms. Caur said no action was taken against AITM because of conciliatory efforts to find an amicable solution.
When it was pointed out that there were several constructions in the firing area, with the Army reportedly giving no-objection certificates (NOC) to them, she said she would ask the officials concerned to look into these NOCs and take action if they were found false.
Inspection
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Sachar was not forthcoming on the AITM issue but said several important issues were discussed with the Deputy Commissioner.
He and his team, on Tuesday, inspected the institute and other constructions that have come up in the firing range.
At the meeting, officials also discussed problems facing the Ministry of Defence and the civil administration here.
